By: Nicole Parallag
Registering the third hat-trick of the UAAP Season 89 Collegiate Men’s Football Tournament, Dov Cariño powered Ateneo de Manila University to a 9-0 drubbing of the University of the East on Thursday night at the UP Diliman Football Stadium.
The national team standout followed in the footsteps of Far Eastern University’s Selwyn Mamon and University of Santo Tomas’ Joshua Balliner to help Ateneo return to Final Four contention with only three matches remaining on its schedule.
Cariño opened the scoring for the Blue Eagles in the 11th minute, heading home an Umi Abelarde corner. Seven minutes later, he beat several defenders before finding the back of the net to double Ateneo’s lead.
The 22-year-old midfielder then completed his hat-trick in the 65th minute, converting an Andrei Gonzales cross to make it 7-0. The goal also brought his season tally to a league-leading six.
(C) UAAP Season 89 Media Team
Gonzales (51st minute and 90th minute+3) and Diego Angeles (36th and 59th) also shone for Ateneo, scoring braces.
Rookie Gio Gigataras struck in the 30th minute, while Mateo Lacson completed the scoring for the Blue Eagles in the 84th minute.
The sixth-placed Blue Eagles improved to eight points, moving within six of the Golden Booters in the race for the final Final Four berth. Earlier in the day, league-leading Adamson University became the first team to secure a semifinal spot, leaving three places up for grabs.
Ateneo next faces rival De La Salle University at 4:30 p.m. on Sunday. It marks the start of a challenging stretch for the Blue Eagles, who will take on the Golden Booters on November 19 before closing out their elimination round campaign against the Soaring Falcons on November 26. Adamson could still be fighting for the twice-to-beat advantage in the Final Four by then.
(C) UAAP Season 89 Media Team
“It’s a good motivation coming into the La Salle game. I know it’s a big war on Sunday, so we look forward to performing against La Salle. I know it’s a few chances for the top four, but we’re still hoping that this season will favor us,” Ateneo head coach JP Merida said.
“Right now it’s a two-day rest, so we need the players to recover well before Sunday. We will fight on Sunday; we need to improve and really get the three points to hopefully stay and aim for the top four,” he added.
Meanwhile, UE will face Adamson at 7 p.m. to close out another tripleheader. The Red Warriors remain winless and without a point this season.
